Deep in the Meadow
by Rose-Daisy42
Summary: After Rue has been sung to sleep and guareded with flowers by Katniss. We see the story of Rue and are greeted with a strange yet familar man.


I awoke on a bed of grass; each blade was soft and silky against my delicate skin. Silence surrounded me, not an eerie silence but the kind that can entice you into a deep sleep. Still lying on my back I outstretched my fingers and ran them through the tickling grass, moving my arms through it like a grounded bird trying to fly. I noticed the silver flowers that blanketed me. My hands found their way to my head. Fragile flower stems had woven into my hair. I had become part of the forest. Above me were great willow trees entwined with one another, whispering secrets that even my ears could not detect.

The gentle smell of lavender and fresh water danced through the air, sending whirlwinds of fragrance across the forest. I sat up, glancing around at the beauty that surrounded me, when I saw a doe. Magnificent and regal, standing in the undergrowth, still. I sat there, as still as the doe when I saw its eyes were fixated, not on me, but a man. The tranquillity of my surroundings had numbed me and left my mind elsewhere; seeing this man forced me to a stance.

The doe was gone in an instant. They're animals I had only heard of in stories and songs, but were often described as being cautious creatures.

The man was sat sturdily on a rock, waiting, still staring at where the deer had once stood. He was clothed in a brown leather jacket, scruffy black trousers and heavy boots that had a dusting of black soot on them. He turned himself so he was facing me and I was greeted with a kind and familiar face. His grey eyes held great wisdom, his dark hair raggedly thrown on his head. He had a layer of stubble on his chin, that behind hides a friendly smile. As he walked towards me no footsteps could be heard. I stood in a poised position ready for flight.

He drew closer. I was still unable to move. He knelt down on one knee in front of me and gently took my hand in his. His hands were warm and aged; they bore scars that held behind them many stories. He held his other palm against my cheek and muttered a whisper, as soft as the wind "Welcome. And thank you".

His stormy gaze left my eyes and began to watch something beyond my shoulder. I turned in confusion to see her, stumbling through a darkened forest, distraught. She held a tree with her left hand, steadying herself. Then I watched as her limp body sank to the damp earth. In her right hand she clutched a single flower, a long green stem with silver petals, like the ones woven between the curls in my hair.

She stood up, strong, and gazed at the flower. With her left hand she raised three fingers to her lips then held them in the air. Then she walked out of sight. I turn my head to see the man shed a single tear. He looks into my hazel eyes and said "she took care of those who I love when I could no longer reach them. I shall now take care of you, because she also can no longer reach the ones she loves". I just nodded with a smile, my mind whirling with my last alive memories of Katniss Everdeen singing to me "Here is the place where I love you."

I awoke on a bed of grass; each blade was soft and silky against my delicate skin. Silence surrounded me, not an eerie silence but the kind that can entice you into a deep sleep. Still lying on my back I outstretch my fingers and ran them through the tickling grass, moving my arms through it like a grounded bird trying to fly. I noticed the silver flowers that blanketed me. My hands find their way to my head. Fragile flower stems have woven into my hair. I have become part of the forest. Above me are great willow trees entwined with one another, whispering secrets even my ears cannot detect. The gentle smell of lavender and fresh water dance through the air, which sends whirlwinds of fragrance across the forest.

I sit up, glancing around at the beauty that surrounds me, when I see a doe. Magnificent and regal, stood in the undergrowth, still. I sit there, as still as the doe when I see its eyes are fixated, not on me, but a man. The tranquillity of my surroundings had numbed me and left my mind elsewhere; seeing this man forced me to a stance. The doe was gone in an instant. They're animals I've only heard of from stories and songs, but often described as being cautious creatures.

The man was sat sturdily on a rock, waiting, still staring where the deer once stood. He's clothed in a brown leather jacket, scruffy black trousers and heavy boots that had a dusting of black soot on them. He turned himself so he was facing me and I was greeted with a kind and familiar face. His grey eyes hold great wisdom, his dark hair raggedly shaped on his head, he has a layer of stubble on his chin that homes a friendly smile. As he walks towards me no footsteps can be heard. I stand in a poised position ready for flight. He draws closer. I'm still unable to move. He kneels down on one knee in front of me and gently takes my hand in his. His hands are warm and aged; they bare scars that hold behind them many stories.

He holds his other palm against my cheek and mutters a whisper, as soft as the wind "Welcome. And thank you". His stormy gaze leaves my eyes and watches something beyond my shoulder.

I turn in confusion to see her, stumbling through a darkened forest, distraught. She holds a tree with her right hand, steadying herself then her limp body sinks to the damp earth. In her left hand she clutches a single flower, a long green stem with silver petals. Like the ones woven between the curls in my hair. She then stands up, strong and gazes at the flower. With her right hand she raises three fingers to her lips then holds them into the air. Then she walks out of sight.

I turn my head to see the man shed a single tear. He looks into my hazel eyes and says "she took care of those who I love when I could no longer reach them. I shall now take care of you, because she also can no longer reach the ones she loves". I just nodded with a smile. My mind whirling with my last memories of Katniss Everdeen singing to me_"Here is the place where I love you."_


End file.
